


Queer Conversations

by NahaFlowers



Category: Black Sails
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming Out, F/F, Fluff, Gen, Homophobia, M/M, Thomas is Max's favourite lecturer and it's adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 11:30:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11713506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NahaFlowers/pseuds/NahaFlowers
Summary: Max, who has just graduated, goes for a coffee with her favourite lecturer/second dad Thomas Hamilton.





	Queer Conversations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Magnetism_bind](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnetism_bind/gifts).



> This fic is dedicated to my own favourite lecturer, Ulrike, who keeps trying to persuade me to do an MRes researching German Queer History. Written for [bisexualpirateheart](http://bisexualpirateheart.tumblr.com) on Tumblr.

“So, how are you doing?” asked Thomas, setting his teacup back down on its saucer. “How’s job hunting going?”

Max rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask. Honestly, you’d think a business degree would be a safe bet to land you a job, but no one seems to want to hire me.” She sighed.

“Well, it’s only be a few months. And you could still do a Masters, you know. I’d be very happy to be your supervisor, or give you references if you want to go elsewhere.”

Max snorted. She took a gulp of coffee, looking at Thomas over the rim of her mug. “And where is a Masters in Queer Theory going to get me, Professor.”

Thomas looked slightly hurt, but then he shrugged, smiling ruefully. “Good point.”

 

He and Max had met when she had chosen his module on Queer Literature and Protest as an elective. As a business student, Thomas had been concerned about having a business student on his favourite module, who might not take it as seriously as her other subjects, especially as Max had been in her first year at the time, and it was normally a second-year module. Thomas had requested an interview, and Max had wasted no time in lecturing him on his prejudice in assuming she wouldn’t take it seriously just because she was a first-year, and that just because she was a business student, it didn’t mean she couldn’t care about queer rights and literature, and, _actually_ , this was the module she was most looking forward to this year, and how dare he challenge her right to be here when all the university and various college rules allowed it.

Thomas had been utterly charmed by her, apologised profusely, and accepted her into the module on the spot, much to Max’s surprise it seemed. They had had a relationship that was part academic, part genuine friendship ever since, Max dragging him along to several LGBTQ+ events and protests even though he claimed that he was too old, Thomas lending her books about queer culture, literature and history he thought she might be particularly interested in and trying to persuade her to split her degree and do Business and Literature. This was a discussion that they had had many times before, in various guises.

 

“You could be an academic,” said Thomas. “You really have a gift for it, Max, it would be a shame to waste it.”

Max shook her head, smiling. “My parents won’t hear of it. They think it’s pointless.” Thomas opened his mouth to argue, but Max brushed him off. “I don’t agree with them, but I have to keep them happy, at least until I can do without their support. Which is why,” said Max, smiling good-naturedly at her professor, “I need a job.”

“I know,” said Thomas. “Are they alright about it now, your parents?”

“‘It’ meaning me being a lesbian?” she asked teasingly. Then she sighed. “Mostly. They’re very ‘don’t shove it in our faces’ about it, which is fine with me. I don’t want any of my future girlfriends to have to deal with them, anyway.”

Thomas grinned, remembering the one and only time James had met his father – it had ended with James throwing Alfred Hamilton out of his own house. Physically.

“You never know,” said Thomas. “It might do you good.”

Max, who had heard the story, sniggered. “Yes, only if my future girlfriend is ripped as fuck.”

Thomas snorted. “Well, you never know. Any news on that front, by the way?” he asked casually, trying not to sound nosy.

“God, it’s like having a second dad,” said Max, rolling her eyes again. “Have you got a job, how are your family, have you got a girlfriend yet?” Thomas managed to look not at all embarrassed. “How’s your husband?” she said, changing the subject.

Thomas’s features softened visibly. “He’s well,” he said. “He sent his best wishes. Said you should come for dinner sometime.”

“He only said that because he hates spending even a single moment away from you if he can help it.”

Thomas was practically misty eyed now. Max thought it was nauseating. She hoped she would be as in love one day. “Well, maybe that’s part of the reason,” he conceded. “But we’d both love to have you over again. You know how much he loves to show off his cooking skills. And you can play Mario Kart with me! James refuses.” Thomas pouted.

“Any particular reason why?” asked Max innocently, privately thinking that she would smash him at Mario Kart, but it would be a snowball’s day in hell before she took him up on the offer.

“I may get a little…competitive,” admitted Thomas, sheepishly. “But that’s half the fun!” he protested.

“Mm, yes, I remember how _fun_ Monopoly was when I was staying at yours,” said Max acidly, but the softness in her eyes said she didn’t really mean it.

When she had first decided to come out to her parents, at the end of second year, Thomas had offered her a place to stay in case it didn’t go well. Max had thanked him, but bravely said she was sure it would be alright. Thomas hadn’t been fooled, and had insisted on giving her his address, just in case. Two weeks later she had found herself on Thomas’s doorstep, in the pouring rain, with a suitcase. Thomas had ushered her inside and made her a cup of tea, and she had spent the next few days reading and talking about literature with Thomas, eating James’s delicious food, and listening to him rant about homophobic parents, and have him offer to go over and kill, or at least threaten them no less than three times. Oh, and Monopoly. That aside, by the time Max’s parents called her, five days later, begging her to come back home, she was feeling much better.

“Sorry about Monopoly,” said Thomas, looking embarrassed. “I promise I won’t be that bad with Mario Kart.”

Max narrowed her eyes at him sceptically.

“Well, alright, maybe I will, but at least it won’t be over an extended period!” said Thomas, winningly. Max shook her head fondly. “More coffee?” he asked, gesturing at her empty mug.

She shook her head. “Enjoyable as this was, I have to go. I’m meeting Eleanor at 12 so we can give each other back our stuff.” She tried to say it as if it was no big deal, but her eyes were downcast. Thomas placed his hand on top of hers, sympathetically.

“Are you alright about that now?” he asked, concerned.

Max shrugged and forced a grin. “I’m fine,” she said. “I’m mostly just pissed off that it’s taken so long to get her to agree to a date to meet. Almost a fucking _year_! She kept putting me off, telling me she was busy.”

“Well, James is working her very hard,” said Thomas reasonably, then exchanged an ironic grin with Max.

She stood up. Thomas followed suit.

“Good luck with everything, then, Max,” Thomas said. “If you want me to-”

“If you’re about to say you could come with me to meet Eleanor, I’d advise against it. Unless you want me to camp out at your house and sit outside your bedroom door every night, singing sea shanties.”

Thomas laughed, looking chagrined. “You’re right, I’m sorry. You can handle it.”

“Yes I can,” said Max self-assuredly, and stepped around the table to hug him.

Thomas squeezed back. “Keep in touch. You know you’re welcome any time, right?” he said anxiously.

Max drew back so he could see her eye roll. “Yes, Thomas, I know,” she said, kissing him on the cheek for good measure. “Invite me for dinner,” she said as she exited the café.

“We will,” said Thomas, smiling warmly at the retreating back of his favourite student.

**Author's Note:**

> I love these two together! I love random gen conversations especially between the queer characters who don't interact! I love Thomas and James being queer dads to all the younger queer characters on the show! Send me more of these kinds of prompts if you like.
> 
> Comments are love.


End file.
